" Inhale~ exhale~ "
" Inhale~ exhale~ "
" Inhale~ exhale~ "
Veins bulged, muscles taut, Hikigaya gripped the pull-up bar with both hands, his body rising and falling in steady rhythm. Sweat trickled down his frame, drop by drop, splattering onto the ground. A raw, masculine energy radiated outward with each pull, saturating the air around him.
Two elegant beauties in traditional kimono—Mrs. Yuigahama and Sayuri—stood nearby, eyes locked firmly on the boy.
"Forty-five, forty-six…"
Mrs. Yuigahama's hand pressed lightly against her chest, as if trying to still her fluttering heart, while she counted softly.
Finally, at the forty-eighth rep, Hikigaya dropped down and paused his workout.
"That's way too many!"
Sayuri gasped, her alluring gaze practically magnetized to the boy's well-defined muscles.
"Hikigaya-kun, you're incredible."
Mouth slightly parted, Mrs. Yuigahama stepped toward him almost on reflex. From the folds of her kimono, she drew a tissue and reached toward him.
"Let me wipe your sweat."
"Hey hey, Asuna, that's not fair."
Sayuri narrowed her eyes, a playful pout in her tone as she quickly approached as well.
"I want to wipe Hikigaya-kun's sweat too."
She pulled out a tissue of her own, clearly prepared for battle.
The two women—both refined, both stunning—jostled for the privilege of wiping down Hikigaya.
"There's no need, Aunties."
Hikigaya instinctively took a step back, quickly shaking his head.
"I'm still working out. Even if you wipe it now, I'll just sweat again right after."
"You're still working out?"
Sayuri looked genuinely concerned.
"Are you sure your body's okay? I mean… you just exerted a lot of energy."
"Sayuri, have you forgotten how intense his workouts were before?"
Before Hikigaya could respond, Mrs. Yuigahama shot Sayuri a glance.
"Earlier, after the pull-ups, he went straight to the parallel bars, push-ups, squats… Hikigaya-kun is very strong."
"Well, of course I know that. But…"
Sayuri gave Hikigaya a half-teasing, half-knowing look.
"Today's kind of special, isn't it?"
"!"
Feeling her gaze, Hikigaya averted his eyes, coughing lightly.
"Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Sawamura. I'm perfectly fine. I can keep going."
With that, he moved briskly back toward the bars.
One. Two…
He began a disciplined set on the parallel bars.
"See that?"
Watching him intently, Mrs. Yuigahama's voice softened to match her gaze.
"Hikigaya-kun is… remarkable."
"No kidding. It's almost unbelievable…"
Sayuri stared at him, her lips curling upward as she murmured.
"Truly impressive."
"Ahem!"
Mrs. Yuigahama cleared her throat and said sternly,
"Sayuri, let me remind you again—we're both parents now. We're Hikigaya-kun's elders. You… you'd better not get any funny ideas!"
"Asuna, I think this is the tenth time today you've said that," Sayuri replied with a chuckle.
"I'm just worried you'll do something inappropriate," Mrs. Yuigahama said seriously.
"Worried about me?"
Sayuri glanced down meaningfully at Mrs. Yuigahama's tightly pressed thighs and smiled.
"Maybe you should be more worried about yourself. At our age, living without a man… think you can really endure it?"
"I—! Don't be ridiculous! I don't have those filthy thoughts like you do!" Mrs. Yuigahama flushed and shot her friend a glare.
Sayuri merely smiled without responding.
A few minutes later, Hikigaya finished his parallel bar routine.
"Hikigaya-kun, let me be your training partner," Mrs. Yuigahama offered immediately, stepping forward.
"This woman…"
Sayuri shook her head and chuckled at her friend's eagerness, but didn't rush to interrupt.
And so—
With Mrs. Yuigahama in his arms, Hikigaya began weighted squats.
Sayuri quietly sat to the side, watching them in silence.
"That woman talks like she's not interested in Hikigaya… says it's all for her daughter… but in reality—heh."
Sayuri smirked in contempt at the tender look in her friend's eyes.
As a woman herself, she easily picked up on the subtle fragrance clinging to Mrs. Yuigahama—the natural scent of a woman in heat. A scent that called out to Hikigaya, teased him, pleaded for his attention.
Any boy with weaker willpower would've already been ensnared by it, driven to act on his urges and beg for her affection.
But Hikigaya's will was unshakable. Not only did he resist the gentle seduction Mrs. Yuigahama exuded, but in doing so, he gradually eroded her defenses, bit by bit drawing her in.
When the squats were over, Mrs. Yuigahama smiled softly at Hikigaya.
"H-Hikigaya-kun, you've broken another personal record today."
"Mm."
He nodded calmly.
"It's all thanks to your encouragement, Auntie Yuigahama. You deserve the credit."
"N-not at all. It's all your effort, Hikigaya-kun. Has nothing to do with me… M-Mama… Ah—! Cough, cough!"
"Mrs. Yuigahama, is something wrong with your leg?"
"N-no, I just… need to use the bathroom. Be right back!"
Clenching her thighs, her face red, Mrs. Yuigahama hurried off.
Now only Hikigaya and Sayuri remained on the training field.
"Well then, allow me to help you with your training next."
With the nuisance gone, Sayuri looked at him sweetly.
"Thank you, Mrs. Sawamura. I'll be doing push-ups next, so… please sit on my back."
Hikigaya replied without meeting her eyes.
"Hehe… just push-ups?"
Sayuri's smile deepened.
"That's not the kind of workout I had in mind."
"Mrs. Sawamura?"
Confused, Hikigaya turned to her—only to see her pull out her phone and tap the screen.
"Saki, why today of all days…"
"Hikigaya, please…"
"Saki…"
"Hikigaya…"
"..."
The voices—male and female—clashed violently in his mind. His pupils shrank in disbelief as he turned to Sayuri.
"Auntie?! You—"
"Hehe… Hikigaya-kun, you wouldn't want this recording getting out, would you~?"
Sayuri licked her lips, voice low and teasing, her gaze as sultry as ever.